JUNIOR GOLF IRELAND LAUNCHES NATIONAL COACHING PROGRAMME - 23rd Mar 2005

A New Initiative for Developing Irish Junior Golf

An exciting new development in Irish Golf began today with Junior Golf Ireland (JGI) launching its Junior Golf Coaching Programme.

Junior Golf Ireland which was formed in 2003 is a partnership between the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI), the Irish Ladies¡¦ Golf Union (ILGU) and the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Irish region. JGI is sponsored by AIB and supported by both the Irish Sports Council and R&A Ltd.

The Junior Golf Ireland Coaching Programme is a new skills-based programme that has been designed to support the work of PGA Professionals and is structured using an 18 hole coaching format. The coaching programme has been designed to cover all the necessary skills required to start, play and develop the game of golf for both boys & girls from the ages of 8 - 18 years old.

Junior Golf Ireland will support & supply PGA Professionals with a Coaching Programme Package to allow all current & prospective junior members take part or become involved in a structured coaching programme. The Junior Golf Ireland Coaching Programme has been designed by a number of Irish PGA Professionals and Provincial Coaches, in conjunction with Junior Golf Ireland¡¦s Regional Development Officers.

Speaking about the coaching programme Helen Sweeney, JGI Chairperson, said that the JGI Launch has been a culmination of 12 months planning. ¡§We felt that it was vitally important to provide a structured coaching programme for all Golf Clubs in Ireland to assist in educating beginners and to create pathways for those children to become regular golfers at club and perhaps even elite level. We feel sure that the implementation of this programme will greatly benefit Irish Golf at all levels in the years to come.¡¨

She continued: ¡§JGI is delighted that AIB has agreed to become our partners with this initiative for the next 2 years. Their sponsorship of the Ryder Cup will offer opportunities for us to introduce and foster the game to a new audience before and after the event itself.¡¨

Billy Andrews, general manager, AIB, said that through this partnership with JGI the bank wished to leave a lasting legacy for Irish golf after the Ryder Cup matches 2006. ¡§We felt that there could be no better way to achieve this than working with the governing bodies to expand the game at grassroots level. We are fully committed to the aims and the objectives of the philosophy behind Junior Golf Ireland.¡¨

The principal role of JGI is to bring golf to the widest cross section of young people and to implement the Junior Golf Development Plan. This plan includes:

"« Establishment / identification of Junior Friendly Golf Facilities and the development of Coaching Programmes for children who opt to learn the game at such facilities.

"« Introduction of golf to Primary Schools, using Tri-Golf, a schools friendly golf programme using modified equipment.

"« Training of Volunteer Coaches in the development of Tri-Golf and in assisting Training PGA Professionals in the delivery of entry level coaching.

"« Securing Club Membership for juniors who complete JGI Programmes.

Related Links

• http://www.gui.ie

All news for Co Kildare | Local News Homepage